Monday, November 5, 2012

Holy Hog And Holy Cow

What a spectacular football Sunday! The Tampa Bay Buccaneers played one of the most exciting games ever - well, ever since their Super Bowl win a million years ago. And, holy cow, can you believe rookie Doug Martin rushing for a franchise-record 251 yards and four touchdowns?

I informed my bride, the belle of Ballast Point, earlier in the day that I wasn't going to be rattling pots and pans during the game so we had best be deciding now on what we were going to eat while watching the Bucs do to the Raiders what they had not done before.

We decided on barbecue from a little place up on Henderson Boulevard that I had been wanting to try. I went on-line and pulled up the Holy Hog website to peruse their menu. I was pleased and surprised to see that we could order on-line. The website also mentioned delivery, but when I called I was informed that delivery had to be scheduled a day in advance with a minimum purchase.

Just scanning the menu got our gastronomic juices flowing, but my bride said we don't want to order now since it was only one or so and the game was still three hours away. It was about then I discovered a nifty little option - order now and schedule pick-up for later. So, I did.

Before I get to the food, I should mention that Holy Hog has two locations - the one on Henderson and another at 3501 North Armenia. The Armenia location appears to have a larger in-door seating area and they serve beer and sangria. The Henderson location does not serve adult beverages, but I was told you can BYOB.

Out-door seating with some friends I invited.

At 3 o'clock I wandered into the Holy Hog on Henderson, past their out-door seating area. The place appeared to be devoid of customers, but that was understandable on game day. Holy Hog had been working their piglet selves into a stupor to provide game day goodies for the masses.

When you enter Holy Hog you can't help but notice the display case to your left that is loaded with a plethora of amazing barbecue goodies.

There are chalk boards behind the display case that list the available food choices, or you may just point to what you want.

You can order a la carte or a dinner that includes two sides with Texas toast. We had ordered two dinners, a burnt ends with additional brisket for me, and the pulled pork for her. We were also treated to a couple of pork ribs that had been under the heat lamps for awhile and would not be sold.

Our order was ready when I arrived. I had already paid on-line, so all I had to do was grab and go. But there was something in that display case that stopped me in my tracks.

Would you just look at the size of those brontosaurus ribs! They are actually beef ribs, but what the heck. They were huge and coated with an amazing rub...and, dammit, they seemed to be screaming my name.

Oh, well! They will have to wait until another day. I had my order and it was getting on toward game time.

In-door seating.

Our whole plan was to have this barbecue feast during the game, but the aromas emanating from the food boxes just grabbed us and wouldn't let go.

We split those freebie pork ribs and that was the hook that set our taste buds quivering with gastronomic joy. Yes, a couple were a little over-done, but that was the point of the give-away. The dry rub, and the mop used on those ribs created a taste sensation that I still swoon over today.

The beef brisket and the burnt ends that I had were the best I can ever recall. Even better than some I had consumed a few years ago in Texas. I truly apologize to my Texas friends and relatives for that blasphemous remark, but it's true. I don't know if my Baby was quivering in delight over her pulled pork or the start of the game, but the pork was gone before the Bucs beat the Raiders 42 - 32.

For our sides, I had the collard greens and what was called roast corn but what actually was boiled corn on the cob, and the Belle had the Mac and Cheese, and the loaded potato salad. All of the sides were good, not spectacular, but good. We were not disappointed, because the name of the game was barbecued meat.

Our only disappointment didn't occur until after I got home. My Texas toast apparently stayed in Texas. Will we go back? You betcha!